Meet Jimmy the electron, small, shiny, and bright,
He wakes every morning to work with delight.
He zips through the wires with a grin ear to ear,
“I’m here to save Sandy some money this year!”

Now Jimmy has cousins, a whole buzzing crew,
Ten thousand electrons, all ready to do.
Half stay at home, powering fridges and fans,
The other half wander, off to far lands.

When Jimmy stays home, he’s worth thirty-eight cents,
(It’s clear he prefers when his labour’s well spent.)
But if he’s exported, he earns Sandy less —
Just eighteen small cents, and that’s not her best.

So Jimmy did maths with his specs on his face,
He scribbled and tallied, he measured the place.
“Some sold, some kept — we must count every friend,
And average it out, what’s the value in the end?”

The answer was clear, it was easy to rate:
Each electron’s worth was about twenty-eight.

The Battery Temptation

One day Sandy pondered, “A battery, perhaps?
To catch Jimmy’s friends in its chemical traps?
I’ve heard they bring savings, I’ve heard they are neat,
Would a battery make my returns more complete?”

Jimmy grew nervous, he tugged on her sleeve,
“A battery sounds nice, but it may just deceive.
You see, dear Sandy, they cost quite a lot,
Eight thousand dollars — that’s the going spot!”

“And sure,” Jimmy said, “our worth might climb more,
From twenty-eight cents up to thirty-four.
But let’s count it out, let’s make it make sense,
How much extra value is six little cents?”

Crunching the Numbers (Seuss-Style)

Six cents more, for each spark in the crowd,
Sounds rather exciting, and Sandy felt proud.
But Jimmy explained, “Let’s not be too hasty,
That $8,000 could vanish quite tasty.

Ten thousand electrons — my whole merry team,
Each year they work hard, they sparkle, they gleam.
Six cents more value, if all stay inside,
That’s six hundred dollars — the math can’t be denied.”

“Six hundred a year, for eight thousand up front?
It sounds quite a bargain… or maybe a stunt?
For batteries fade, they grow weary, they tire,
Their lifespan is shorter than panels require.”

“By year number ten, or perhaps number twelve,
That battery’s savings no longer will delve.
Six hundred a year, for a decade or so,
Means six thousand back — but two thousand to go!”

Jimmy’s Verdict

“So Sandy, my master, my friend, hear me true,
A battery helps — but not much for you.
From twenty-eight cents to thirty-four flat,
It’s better than nothing, but hardly all that.

Instead of a battery, here’s Jimmy’s advice:
Keep panels well-cleaned, make them shiny and nice.
Spend hundreds, not thousands, and boost what you earn,
With cleaner-born electrons each taking their turn.

And one day, I promise, when costs tumble down,
A battery might truly be worth in this town.
But for now, dear Sandy, don’t rush, don’t you fret,
Your colony’s value is plenty to get.”

The Lesson

So if you’re like Sandy and dream of the day,
When your bill disappears, floats merrily away…
Remember that Jimmy is clever, not rash,
He cares for your savings, not advertising flash.

A battery sounds grand, but the numbers don’t sing,
$8,000 is steep for a small little fling.
From twenty-eight cents up to thirty-four more,
It’s progress — but pricey — and hard to ignore.

So clean up your panels, keep Jimmy at play,
And maybe buy batteries… some bright future day.

The Summary in 2025 English:

• Each solar electron has two possible jobs:
• Work in your house → worth 38c (NZ average incl GST).
• Export to the grid → worth 18c.
• Without a battery, about half of your electrons are exported and half are used at home. That means the average value per electron is ~28c.
• With a battery, more electrons get used in the home instead of being exported. That pushes the average value per electron up to around 34c.
• That’s an improvement — but here’s the kicker: to move from 28c to 34c, you’d need to spend about $8,000 on a battery.
• Over a year, that upgrade in value works out to about $600 extra saved. Over 10 years, that’s $6,000, which still doesn’t pay back the full $8,000 cost of the battery. And remember: batteries wear out faster than solar panels.

Bottom line:

Batteries are neat and they do add some value, but financially they’re still a “nice to have” rather than a no-brainer investment. If your budget is tight, you’ll often get a better return by spending money on panel cleaning, system upkeep, or simply adding an extra panel or two instead of buying a battery right now.